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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

porary, and digital art. Such an environ-

ment is an important factor in enabling

students to refl ect on their own prefer-

ences while fi nding new inspiration that

can infl uence the creation of a body of

work or portfolio.

Please tell us about LAAFA’s men-

tor program that allows third-year

students the chance to study with

any artist in the world.

Art is not easy; it requires an enormous

amount of time and dedication—for even

the more established artists. Students at

the start of their careers often have mis-

understandings about making art in gen-

eral and about making a life in the arts in

particular. Students may have absorbed

theoretical knowledge, but they haven’t

yet put this knowledge into practice.

LAAFA’s mentorship provides guid-

ance during the transitional period from

being a college student to becoming a

working professional. Such guidance

focuses on the individual and the specifi c

set of problems that he or she needs to

address to move forward. Mentors help

artists navigate a path so that they can

fi nd their own voice and begin to realize

the world around them—while testing

ideas with an artist they admire. The goal

of the mentorship program at LAAFA is to

give students the opportunity to expand

and evolve—so that they can communi-

cate with viewers on multiple levels, not

only visually but also emotionally.

LAAFA is unusual in its online

courses. What do you foresee as

the future of online learning?

With our current online courses

(artschoolvideos.com), students from all

over the world can take advantage of

developing and honing their craft by learn-

ing from top professional artists. With a

self-paced learning environment, students

have fl exibility with unlimited access to

online lessons that allow them to master a

skill at their own pace without the pressure

of a time limit. We are excited to announce

that in the near future, students who are

unable to attend LAAFA’s on campus Full-

Time Programs will have the opportunity

to receive an online accredited degree and

certifi cate. Online programs will mirror the

same balanced, sequential curriculum of

the on-campus programs.

Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art

laafa.org; 818/708-9232

Study by current student

Nikita Budkov

Long Pose Drawing with instructor

Joseph Todorovitch

Dappled in Blue by graduate

Elyse Fulcher

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